Stephen Kenny said he did not want another gallant defeat. This ignominy was not what he had in mind. Gerson Rodrigues’s fierce long-range goal five minutes from time earned Luxembourg a famous win that leaves Ireland’s World Cup qualification ambitions hanging by the skimpiest of threads. Kenny’s record as manager reads: played 10, won 0.
Luxembourg are the lowest-ranked opponents that Kenny has faced and were supposed to be the side against whom he oversaw his first win. Instead Ireland flopped to a new low, with defeat the consequence of a grim performance.
